Softball Teams Swing for Nationals

Rick Eymer

Published 4:00 am, Friday, July 14, 2000

Five local girls' softball teams won the opportunity to compete at the national level over the weekend by finishing first or second in the Class B state tournament held over the weekend. The tournament featured five age divisions and was held at various venues in Belmont and San Mateo.

The most successful team, the San Carlos Force in the 14-and-under age group, earned a trip to Midland, Texas, in August for the national tournament. The Force qualified to advance with a 14-2 victory over the San Ramon Stompers in the championship game of their division.

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The San Carlos Force Gray finished second in the 12-and-under category, losing to the Hollister Heat 3-2 in extra innings in the championship game. Force Gray qualified for nationals by beating the Cabrillo Crushers twice on the final day of the tournament.

In the first win over the Crushers -- by a 2-1 score -- Kendra Cocco drove in the winning run with a double in the bottom of the seventh inning. Danajane Vargas doubled to start the rally.

San Carlos came back to beat the Crushers again, 8-1, behind the pitching of Jessica Rosencrants, who also won the earlier game.

Force Gray will be headed for College Station, Texas, on August 8 for the national tournament.

The San Mateo Goldrush came in second in the 18-and-under division as Aragon High School of San Mateo's Tara Conley pitched six games during the tournament, four on Saturday. They qualified to advance to the nationals in Texas.

The Burlingame Flames finished second in 16-and-under to qualify for the nationals in Federal Way, Wash.

In the 10-and-under division, the San Mateo All-Stars reached the nationals the hard way. They lost their first game, then won six in a row to finish second to the San Ramon Stompers, which won titles in both 18-and-under and 16-and-under.

Several other teams in the state tournament qualified for regional play. In the 18-and-under bracket, the San Carlos Force were third and the San Francisco Cardinals were fourth and advance to the regionals in Fremont, which begin tomorrow.

The San Mateo Sizzle finished third in the 16-and-under division and qualified for the regional tournament in Sparks, Nev., which begins tomorrow. In the 14-and-under division, the San Mateo Angels finished fourth, followed by Millbrae Mischief and San Bruno Force. All three teams qualify for the regional in Visalia, which begins tomorrow.

In the 10-and-under division, the Belmont All-Stars were fifth and the San Carlos Force Gray were sixth to qualify for regional play in Manteca.

LITTLE LEAGUE
: The District 52 tournament, which features 16 teams from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, continues today and tomorrow at the
Belmont Sports Complex
. The tournament continues daily through Wednesday.

Tomorrow's contest will feature the finals of the winner's bracket. The winners of yesterday's scheduled games -- San Mateo played Alpine/West Menlo of Menlo Park, and Palo Alto American played Belmont -- advanced to today's title game.

VOLLEYBALL: The Club Yahoo! 16- and-under girls volleyball team won the national open division title in their age group in Louisville, Ky., over the weekend.
Menlo School of Atherton
senior
Pernilla Schweitzer
was named to the all-tournament team, then traveled to Michigan to join the USA Youth National Team development camp.